update content dynamically with XML 2

joshbates15 · Jun 14, 2005

This is what I'm trying to do... On my website I would like to update content through an XML document. The XML document would look something like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<aaronsays>
<date>June 13th,2005</date>
<saying>I got wine on my sterling silver tie, trade me ties.</saying>
<saying>I think my mom steals things from my room when I'm gone!</saying>
...
</aaronsays>

Then my HTML document would look like this:
<html>
...
<div id="aaronsays">
<span id="date" style="display:block;;"> *** Date Info from XML goes Here *** </span>
<ul id="sayings">

*** List the saying XML Data as <li>'s in here ***

</ul>
</div>
...
</html>

I know I'm going to need to use some javascript (something I'm not too strong in) to import the XML data into the HTML document, probably through some XMLHttpRequest. I've looked at countless examples, apple, macrumorslive.com, but it just doesn't seem to totally click with me. I've tried the example in the faq, but didn't seem to work corectly. I would also like to make sure it will work in both Firefox and Internet Explorer. Any advice would be much appreciated!

JontyMC · Jun 16, 2005

XSL is the best method for this:

http://www.w3schools.com/xsl/default.asp

XSL will transform the XML into HTML. You can do the transform client-side with javascript (a bit messy), server-side with ASP or similar (cleaner, but requires server-side technologies) or you can simply link the stylesheet to the XML file and the browser will apply the transform. I prefer the last option, eg:

XML:

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?>
<?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="aaronsays.xsl"?>
<aaronsays>
    <date>June 13th,2005</date>
    <saying>I got wine on my sterling silver tie, trade me ties.</saying>
    <saying>I think my mom steals things from my room when I'm gone!</saying>
</aaronsays>

XSL (aaronsays.xsl):

Code:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<xsl:stylesheet version="1.0" xmlns:xsl="[URL unfurl="true"]http://www.w3.org/1999/XSL/Transform">[/URL]
    <xsl:template match="/">
        <html>
            <head>
                <title>Aaron's sayings</title>
            </head>
            <body>
                <div id="aaronsays">
                    <span id="date" style="display:block;">
                        <xsl:value-of select="aaronsays/date"/>
                    </span>
                    <ul id="sayings">
                        <xsl:for-each select="aaronsays/saying">
                            <li>
                                <xsl:value-of select="."/>
                            </li>
                        </xsl:for-each>
                    </ul>
                </div>
            </body>
        </html>
    </xsl:template>
</xsl:stylesheet>

Jon

"Asteroids do not concern me, Admiral. I want that ship, not excuses.

joshbates15 · Jun 16, 2005

Cool, thank you for your help!

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update content dynamically with XML 2

joshbates15

Technical User

JontyMC

Programmer

joshbates15

Technical User

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